Projecting device hitting means

ABSTRACT

A ball projecting machine having a mounting base with a lever pivotally mounted on the base. A ball supporting device having a plurality of spaced ball holding positions is provided by a slotted mounting member. A braking surface is mounted on the base and a spring biased brake shoe is mounted on one end of the lever to engage the braking surface. The lever is adapted to be rotated quickly to hit a ball mounted in one of said holding positions. The apparatus is provided with sufficient structure for controlling the trajectory and horizontal direction of the projected ball.

United States Patent 1191 McD. Hess 5] May 7, 1974 [54] PROJECTING DEVICE HITTING MEANS 3,640,263 2/1972 Rhodes 124 30 R 76 Inventor: Alexander McD. Hess 67 Hilton 1 Ave. Garden City T 11530 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerWilliam R. Browne Flledi P 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-James P. Malone [21] Appl. No.: 291,398

Related us. Application Data [57] T T [63] Continuation-impart Of SCI'. No. 202,155, Nov. 26, A ball pro-lectmg ma-chme havmg a mounting base 197] Pat No 3,765,395 with a lever pivotally mounted on the base. A ball supporting device having a plurality of spaced ball hold- 52 us. c1 124/1, 124/41, 124/30 R s PositionS is Provided by a Slotted mounting [51] Int. Cl. F4lb 3/00 A braking surface is mounted on the base and a 581 Field of Search 124/1, 21, 26, 36, 17, Spring biasedbrake Shoe is mounted on one end of the 124/30 R, 41 lever to engage the braking surface. The lever is adapted to be rotated quickly to hit a ball mounted in [56] References Cited one of said holding positions. The apparatus is pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vided with sufficient structure for controlling the trajectory and horizontal direction of the projected ball. 2,057,599 l0/l936 Serrano l24/l I 2,279,857 4/1942 Bodnar l 24/l UX 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures \\\\-/B| /Avi I/\ I b I l 1 PROJECTING DEVICE HITTING MEANS This application is continuation in part of Ser. No. 202,155, filed Nov. 26, 1971, now Pat. No. 3,765,395, for Ball Throwing Apparatus.

By proper adjustment of the apparatus the hit ball may be kept within a limited area, such as playground, or a street, and the possibility of damaging windows of surrounding houses is minimized. The device may be used for amusement as a game or it may be used to give practice to fielders of ground balls, line drives and fly balls.

Without doubt, our greatest concern these days, is to keep our youngsters-minds free from disturbances, but occupied in some interesting outdoor competitive activity or pastime, especially during non-school hours. In crowded urban districts, playgrounds, school yards or playstreets present confined areas.

Of all the games played perhaps the one most indulged in is baseball, keeping youths active plus interested onlookers. This playing holds the youngsters interest because it is competitive. These contests lead to some inevitable property damages, due to uncontrolled batted foul balls or slipping bats, to windows, property, parked cars, etc., and to onlookers or passerbys. Repairs are quite an item in municipal budgets.

l have devised a mechanism which practically eliminates damage, physical or property, by controlling the flight of the ball within the lateral limits of the available areas. The length of flight can be controlled also.

When playing the regular baseball game, you may note many able batters and the more inept batters interests wane due to their inability to connect with the ball. But with my device all the players are initially equated for everyone becomes a potential hitter, even the inept, who now sees a ball hit by himself and it satisfies his small ego. Of course, skill in the bats approach and the touch or contact with the actuating end of the lever, and the positioning of the ball, may be acquired by practice or participation.

My device involves a lever mounted or placed on a trunnion or axle with a certain relationship with the point of impact or striking end and the placing of the ball. Any type ball may be used.

Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved ball hitting means.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved ball hitting means at various trajectories including ground balls, line drives and fly balls.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ball hitting machine having a mounting base with a lever pivotally mounted on the base, a plurality of spaced ball holding means, a braking surface mounted on said base and an adjustable brake shoe mounted on one end of said lever, the lever being adapted to be rotated quickly to hit a ball mounted in one of said positions.

Another object is to provide means to horizontally adjust the direction of ball travel to avoid damage in confined areas.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and drawings, of which,

FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines of 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention generally comprises a mounting sleeve 1, which is solidly mounted on the ground. Rotatably mounted in the sleeve 1, is a second sleeve 2. Mounted on the top of the sleeve 2 isa connecting member 2c. Mounted on top of the connecting member 20, are a pair of channels 2a and 2b, which extend upwardly in parallel relationship. A lever 3 is pivotally mounted on members 2a and 2b by means of the axle 4. Lever 3 comprises a hollow pipe-Inside the pipe is mounted a shaft 5. On one end of the shaft 5, is mounted a piston'6, which is spring loaded by the spring 7. On the outer end of the piston 6, is mounted a brake shoe 8. On the other side of the shaft 5 is mounted another piston 10 which is spring loaded by the spring 11. On the end of the piston 10 is mounted a contact member 12 which is adapted to contact the brake member 13 which is mounted on the mounting sleeve 2. The shape of the brake member 13 is an arc of a circle, except in the area 13' it flares outwardly. The purpose of this so the brake shoe 8 can come in contact with the brake shoe l3 gradually. The travel of the brake shoe is shown by the dotted line 8'.

Mounted on the vertical members 2a and 2b is a slotted ball holding ledge comprising members 14 and 15. The members 14 and 15 form a slot 16 which tapers outwardly in the area 16a. The ball holding ledge is used to mount the ball B in various positions in order to provide different trajectories for the ball.

The left hand side of the lever 5 has an outer sleeve 20 of resilient tubing. The purpose of this is to absorb the contact from the bat 21 when the bat is swung downwardly in the vertical direction as shown by the arrow 22.

FIG. 2 also shows a horizontal adjustment for the relative position of the sleeves 1 and 2. The external member 1 has a slot la which may extend about The inner sleeve 2 has a plurality of tapped holes 2a, 2b, which are adapted to receive set screws. The horizontal position is adjusted by rotating the pin 25 in the sleeve 2. For a location having a limited area, the end positions are limited by one or more set screws in the tapped screw holes 2a and 21;, etc. The set screws will hit the end of slot la and limit the horizontal horizontal position. The purpose of the horizontal position is where the device is used in confined areas, such as, playgrounds. By making the proper horizontal adjustment, the direction of the ball can be controlled so that the ball is not likely to cause any damage, such as breaking windows, etc.

The opration of the device is as follows:

In one mode of operation, the lever is placed horizontally as shown in FIG. 1. It is maintained in this position by slight pressure of the holding member 12 against the upper portion of the brake shoe 13. In this position, the bat is swung downwardly in a vertical position, as shown by arrow 22. The impact of the bat will cause the lever to rotate counter-clockwise as shown in FIG. 1.

The trajectory of the ball will depend upon the position that the ball is mounted on the ledge. The ball is positioned by wedging it lightly between members 14 and 15. ln the position B1, the ball will be hit with a high trajectory such as a long fly ball. In the position B2, the ball will have a lower trajectory such as a line drive. In the positions B3 and B4, the ball will be a ground ball. The purpose of the tapering portions 16a of the slot between the members 14 and 15 is to permit ground ball to be hit in a slight downward direction.

When the ball is in position B1, the bat maybe swung in the direction of the arrow 23 in an upward direction of about 45. When the ball is in positions B2, B3 or B4, the lever is placed slightly behind it and the bat is swung in a substantially horizontal direction.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1 showing the connection between the sleeves 1 and 2 by means of the pin 25 which is secured by the nut screw 26. The pin extends through a mounting hole in the sleeve 1 and slot 1a of member 1.

I claim:

1. Ball hitting apparatus comprising:

a mounting base member,

a lever means pivotally mounted on said base member about an axis intermediate the ends of said lever means for movement about said axis under the force of a blow on one end of said means so that the opposite end will impact against a ball,

ball holding means mounted on said mounting base member for holding a ball prior to being struck by the opposite end of the lever means under a force which rotates said lever means about its axis, a braking means mounted on said base for braking the rotational movement of the lever means,

said brake means having a spring biased, said lever 3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said lever means has a resilient pad surface adapted to receive blows from a bat.

4. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said ball holding means has a plurality of spaced ball holding positions to provide a plurality of trajectories for a ball.

5. Apparatus as in claim 2 having horizontally adjustable means to adjust said mounting member to control the horizontal direction of ball travel.

6. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the slotted means flares outwardly at the ball exit end to permit hitting ground balls. 2

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 whereinthe initial lever means position may be adjusted to accommodate substantially vertical and substantially horizontal directions of bat swing. 

1. Ball hitting apparatus comprising: a mounting base member, a lever means pivotally mounted on said base member about an axis intermediate the ends of said lever means for movement about said axis under the force of a blow on one end of said means so that the opposite end will impact against a ball, ball holding means mounted on said mounting base member for holding a ball prior to being struck by the opposite end of the lever means under a force which rotates said lever means about its axis, a braking means mounted on said base for braking the rotational movement of the lever means, said brake means having a spring biased, said lever means carrying adjacent one end a spring-biased brake shoe, an arcuate friction means for braking said lever means, said friction means having a concave inner surface with a center of curvature substantially at the pivot axis of said lever means, said concave surface being disposed so as to be engaged by said brake shoe to stop rotation of said lever means after hitting of a ball.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said ball holding means comprises, a slotted means for permitting the lever means to rotate therethrough to hit a ball thereon.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said lever means has a resilient pad surface adapted to receive blows from a bat.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said ball holding means has a plurality of spaced ball holding positions to provide a plurality of trajectories for a ball.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 2 having horizontally adjustable means to adjust said mounting member to control the horizontal direction of ball travel.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the slotted means flares outwardly at the ball exit end to permit hitting ground balls.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the initial lever means position may be adjusted to accommodate substantially vertical and substantially horizontal directions of bat swing. 